healing | health | happiness

Failure To Launch

May 14, 2013 ·

So, I’ve been pondering the popular phrase failure to launch all day—it’s just been sticking with me. We’ve all heard of the movie. Some even thought it was funny. But, so many can identify with it on some level because in some area of our lives, we have failed to launch.

Failure to launch happens when you don’t leave your comfort zone when it’s clearly time to leave it. You may say you want to go to college, get a better job, buy a house, or start a new business—and you may even talk about it for years—and STILL you never do it. Or, you may do all the busy work that’s behind the scenes, but when it comes to putting a spark to that match, you just don’t do it.

Why not?

Some people are a failure to launch because of FEAR. They are afraid offailure. Others are afraid of success and all that comes with success: more responsibility, limelight, money management, fake friends, etc. Some failure to launch folks may just be lazy; they are completely comfortable right where they are. They aren’t HUNGRY. Yet other people may not know what to do, while still others don’t have time to do it because of the demands on their time.

So, here is what I have to say about each of those reasons: don’t let fear paralyze you. Do this by taking small steps towards your goal. Sometimes we scare ourselves by thinking about all that we have to do or by thinking of this big chunk we have to bite off. Don’t think about committing to ALL of that. Focus on the small step, the small bite, that you ARE willing to take. Literally ask yourself: What CAN I do? What AM I WILLING to do? Then, set a deadline, or a “launch date,” then do it.

If your problem is that you are too comfortable, you will continue to be a failure to launch until your motivation to launch is larger than your motivation to stay in your comfort zone. In other words, until something comes along to make you HUNGRY, you’re not going to do much of anything to move that particular area of your life forward. So, I say to you: find your motivation. Find your reason for leaving your comfortable life. Discover your WHY.

If you know what you want to do, but don’t know HOW to do it, FIND out! Folks don’t have time to spoon feed you! Go after the knowledge you need. Ask people. Interview people. Go back to school. Do some research online.Now, if your problem is that you don’t have time, you just may have to schedule some time to dedicate to your dream, want, aspiration, or desire. Get creative. Even if you have to do a little here and a little there in small chunks of time, that’s far better than nothing. That’s certainly better than being a

failure to launch!

And, speaking from a little experience in this area, being a failure to launch is such a bummer because you eventually think of where you could be right now if only…. And those times you do decide to take off, the feeling of accomplishment is so exhilarating, you wonder what took you so long. Get it together. Don’t take much longer. Your launch pad is waiting for you….